Piles are often driven into the ground to form platform for supporting a structure such as a pipeline. The particular environment through which the pipeline extends will determine whether a particular pipeline is arranged above or below ground. The present invention is of particular significance when applied to above ground or elevated pipelines, and that example of the present invention will be described herein in detail. However, the principles of the present invention may be applied to piles used to support structures other than pipelines such as elevated tracks, elevated roadways, and the like.
An elevated pipeline typically comprises a pile driven into the ground, a pile cap secured to the pile, an I-beam connected to the pile cap, and a pipe structure connected to the I-beam. Conventional elevated pipelines employ a pile cap that is welded to the pile. The process of driving a pile into the earth is typically imprecise, so the welding of a pile cap to the pile such that the I-beam is supported in the correct orientation for the pipe structure typically requires significant time, effort, expertise, and expense.
The need exists for pile cap systems and methods for facilitating the connection of a pile to a structure such as an I-beam for supporting a pipe structure.